Family Life
by Kylaia
Summary: *Whoo! Chapter 3! Go me!* Yes it's yet another of those 'Mr. Granger goes nuts and Severus saves the day' but doesn't everyone love them? R/R please!!!!
1. Sleepover and Shocks

Yay! My very first proper HG/SS fic! And yes it is yet another of those Hermione's dad goes psycho and Sev saves the day things. I know how annoying they are but please bear with me!   
  
DISCLAIMER- None of the following characters are mine and so on and so forth. Though I do wish that I could own Severus.  
"Hermione?" the thin gaunt face of the Hogwart's seventh year lifted itself up from the tear stained pillow.  
"What is it Mum?" Over the holidays Hermione had grown used to healing minor bruises and cuts. Ever since her father had hit the bottle after being made redundant he had changed so much. Every night he came in drunk. Every night Hermione heard her mother's whimpers and longed for her own to stop also.   
"Nothing I was just wondering if you wanted to go to a friend's house for the night."  
"Why?"  
"Well I've just been thinking about how you never seem to go out. You shouldn't stay holed up in your room."  
"Um, okay. I'll ring Krissa." Hermione's brow creased in confusion. She went out at every oppurtunity.   
"Good. You can use the cordless. Here you go." Helen Granger tossed the grey phone to her only child.  
  
***  
  
"Mum?! Kris says I can go stay with her tonight. Have you got any chocolate? And where's Beauty and the Beast?" Despite being a children's video, both Krissa Lewinski and Hermione loved the classic Disney film. "Never mind. Got it!" Stuffing the video into the small red bag that held her wand Hermione made her way down the stairs.  
  
"God, you sounded like an elephant coming down them stairs!" Shaking her head Helen Granger grabbed the keys hanging on the nail by the door and opened the large door. The yellow VW bug was outside the house and was opened after some persuasion from Mrs. Granger's boot clad foot.   
  
With a brand new dent in the side the bug made it's way to the suburban area where Kris and her family lived. Spluttering and gurgling, the bug stopped in front of the house.   
  
"So what time will you be picking me up?"  
"I'll pick you up about two tomorrow okay? And don't worry, everything's going to be fine now." No reply came. Hermione got out of the tiny car and opened the iron wrought gate. She waved her mum off and knocked on the door. Her friend's west highland terrier immediately greeted her with short barks and many wags of the tail.   
  
"Hey Herm. Kris's in the kitchen." Kris' older brother Casey opened the door and ushered her in. Dumping her bag by the fur rug covered table Hermione made her way to the large kitchen.   
"Herm! Man it's been ages since I last saw ya! How's school?" Hermione hadn't even told her best friend about her being a witch. She was under the impression that Hermione was in her final year in a girls only boarding school in Yorkshire.  
"Fine. I got the highest marks again."  
"Tut. How many times am I to tell you that you need to live! You know drop a mark or two. Maybe even get a letter home about something other than your excellent performance!"   
"Shut up. So, you've got the popcorn?"  
"No. See these things? They're actually tiny atomic bombs that look like popcorn. I'm afraid we have no popcorn. What do you think? What a nutter! But that's why I love ya! So when are we gonna fill Casey's pillow with glue?" A sleepover at Kris' house was never dull.  
  
***  
  
"Come on wake up."  
"Ohgoway. Tobrigh. Neesleep." Hermione rolled over and found herself on the floor. Her best friend smiled and prodded Hermione's pale legs with her foot.   
"I've got some melted chocolate and some cheap gummy sweets. Wanna have breakfast?" Ever since their very first sleepover when they were just nine they had eaten the exact same breakfast. Some weird brand of sweets dipped in melted, and often burnt, chocolate.   
Quickly Hermione went into the bathroom that joined onto Kris' room. While putting on the concealment charms that were second nature to her she wrenched the comb through her knotted hair. Over the summer she had grown increasingly thin. High cheekbones protruded from a bony face. Dark skin beneath her eyes told of nights slept tossing and turning. White scars criss-crossed her frail wrists. Returned to some resemblance of normality, Hermione went through the upper lounge and went down into the kitchen. Quickly the two girls wolfed down the bizarre meal. Interrupted once by Casey they ate in silence. At about eight Mr and Mrs Lewinski made an appearance. Both ate a more sane breakfast.   
  
Even when things had been better between her parents Hermione had loved to stay at the Lewinski house. Everything was so... so right. The atmosphere was never tense and any argument never lasted long. Hermione had always wondered why Kris had such a perfect family. While she had no brothers or sisters to talk to Kris had both a brother and a sister. As the years went on and the ambience of the Granger household had got more and more tense this house had become her place of haven and solitude. Her friend never argued with her mother. She also never had the urge to hit Hermione.   
  
Several times Hermione had thought about the solace of death. Several times she had tried to reach the cold slumber of death. Although she never let it show inside she was an absolute mess. She lived in terror of her dad. Afraid to do anything but remain silent until he passed out or left the house for the pub. Although he had never actually drawn blood her father was never anything but vicious. Despite his drunken stupors he never marked skin which could be seen. He was like that all the time. Making sure he covered his tracks. However the tracks he had made in Hermione's mind could never be erased.  
  
***  
  
"Hermione, what time did Helen say she'd pick you up?"   
"About two."  
"Well it's four so do you want a lift home? I'm not trying to get rid of you but we're all going out in a while."  
"I know. Kris told me. Um, unless it would be too much to ask, Mr Lewinski, I could do with a lift"  
"Okay then. You got all your stuff?" The blonde haired man got up from the chair and walked to the door. Hermione and Kris followed him. She picked her bag up and left the last piece of sanity she would meet for months.  
  
*   
  
"Thanks for the lift Mr. Lewinski!" Using the car frame Hermione pushed herself up from the car.  
"Hey Herm. Next time you have a holiday make sure you ring me. Yeah?"  
"Course I will! Bye!" Standing at the door Hermione waited until the Mercedes had turned the corner before she opened the door.  
  
"Mum?" Slipping her keys onto the nail Hermione made her way further into the house. Something was wrong. Saturday was when her mother cleaned the house. That meant the Hoover would be out. However it was sitting where it usually sat.   
"Mum? Where are you?" A gut wrenching feeling of unease settled into her abdomen. No one was downstairs so Hermione made her way upstairs. Pictures of family and paintings made by a five-year-old hand hung crooked. Bile rushed to the back of Hermione's throat as she spotted a smear of red on the doorframe of her parent's room. Hermione wrenched open the door and her stomach lurched. Shivers ran along her spine and raced to her head.  
  
Hermione leant against the doorframe. Her father was sitting on the foot of the bed leering at her. A bottle of whisky in his hand.   
In his bloody hands.   
  
Sobs of true pain wracked Hermione's small frame. At her father's feet lay the lifeless body of her mother. Her luxurious hair was thick with blood. It also looked like half her hair was on the floor also. Ripped clothes had been thrown against the dresser. Blood was everywhere.   
  
"You bastard. You've killed her." Spikes of fear drove themselves into Hermione.  
"And you're point is?" His words were slurred. He successfully managed to get up. Swaying George Granger staggered towards his only child. His wet hands released the bottle. As he heard the soft tinkle of the breaking glass he looked down. Paralysed with fear Hermione watched as he somehow managed to lean down and pick up the largest shard of the green glass.  
"Dad? What are you going to do?" The words jolted her teeth.  
"Only what you've got coming to you. You know what? You're a slut just like you're mother." To emphasise his point George gestured to the dead body he had almost tripped over.  
"She isn't a slut. And neither am I."  
"That's what she said. Look where she ended up. The same place you will." Bloodshot eyes raked over Hermione's sparse body. Realising what he had planned for her Hermione ran from the room. Bellowing in rage her father hurried after her.  
  
The last thing Hermione remembered was a hand around her ankle. She just remembered seeing the corner of the wall coming closer to her. After that there was nothing.  
  
*****  
  
Well shall I continue? If I know someone's read this I'll post another chapter. If not, I won't bother. So please review!!!!!!!! Also if you can think of a better title please tell me!   
  
*coughreviewcough*  
  
-x-Kylaia-x- 


	2. Envelopes and Buses

Yay! More than 2 reviews for one chapter! That's like a record for me! Thank you, thank you! Um yeah. Well Chapter 2!  
DISCLAIMER- none of the following characters are mine, and so on and so forth.  
Chapter 2  
  
Slowly Hermione's eyes opened. Pain spread like wildfire from her arm straight to her brain. The familiar surroundings of her parents' room swam in and out of focus. Blinking several times Hermione forced herself to concentrate. Gradually the scene around her settled into bright piercing colours that burnt her eyes. Wincing from pain, Hermione swung her too thin legs over the side of the bed.   
  
Sitting up Hermione could now see the large mirror that covered one of the shorter walls in her parents' room. Although she had grown used to seeing bruises covering her pale skin over the past few months, this was an all time new for her. Black bruises covered her face. A nasty gash ran from her right temple to the left eyebrow. Gingerly Hermione, one handedly, lifted the grey flannel top she was wearing. Sure enough the bruises also covered the flat plane of her stomach. Cautiously Hermione tried to move her left arm. Streaks of lightning shot from her arm. Black stars appeared in her eyesight.   
  
Cradling her arm, Hermione haltingly got up from the blood stained bed. Cuts re-opened and blood ran freely down Hermione.  
"Mum?" Weaving from the blood loss, Hermione stumbled to her mother's side. With a thump Hermione knelt by her mum. Memories of holidays and generally happy times flooded Hermione's mind. Tears flowed down her cheeks. Tentatively she touched the stone cold face that once spoke of happiness and could make anyone smile. Crooning gently Hermione stroked the snarled hair. Whispering reassurances that fell on empty ears Hermione closed the swollen eyelids over the green glassy eyes.   
  
Not making a sound Hermione went into her room and plucked a few school robes from the wardrobe. Flinching from the pain she opened her set of drawers and grasped some underwear. Worries about her wand Hermione racked her memory and remembered how she had left her overnight bag by the door.   
  
A pink envelope caught Hermione's eye. Written in her mother's hand was just on word; Hermione. Knowing she didn't have the time to read it just yet she picked it up and put it on the small bundle of clothes in her arms. A tiny leather bag full of wizarding coins was plopped into her arms.  
  
Staggering, but not from the weight of the clothes, Hermione descended the stairs and into the main hallway. Gratefully, she dumped the clothes on the floor and opened the small red bag on the floor by the door. Firmly holding her wand Hermione performed the charm similar to the one on Moody's trunk. The bag would now have the space to hold as much as Hermione wanted it to. Hastily the clothes were pushed into the bag and a weightless spell was cast over it.   
  
Using the mirror over the hall table Hermione cast a concealment charm over her face. Thankfully it was raining so the blood would wash off. Slipping the wand into her sleeve, Hermione opened the door. From the growing pinkish light Hermione guessed she had been out cold for about twelve or so hours.   
  
Trying not to knock her arm Hermione slid out her wand. Despite the care she took the wand tapped the swollen arm. The dull, throbbing pain intensified into a constant throb of extreme agony. Gasping, Hermione shakingly stuck out her right arm and waggled it around a little. Thankfully she didn't have to wait for long. The well-known shape of the Knight Bus lurched to a stop next to her. Without really listening to what the conductor said she just scooped out a handful of coins from the pouch and staggered to the closest bed.   
  
Not knowing she was being closely watched Hermione sandwiched the bag between her body and the side of the bus and drifted off into the bliss of slumber.  
  
*****  
  
Sorry it's a little short but that's all for now sorry. I'll probably update tomorrow so keep in tune!!   
  
Now then. See that little purple box thing? Yeah? Well click it! And do you know what? You can tell me exactly what you think! Now is that magic or what? Review! 


	3. Letters and Tears

Disclaimer- ya know the system, none of the characters and places are mine and so on and so forth. Here ya all go! Chapter 3!  
  
CHAPTER 3.  
  
"Ern? Where we supposed to drop 'er off? She said nuffink." The still spotty twenty-three year old asked.  
  
"'Ow am I supposed ter know? 'Ow old she look?" Grunted Ern.  
  
"'Bout seventeen I fink. Maybe older." Said Ern, uncertainly.  
  
"Well let's drop er off at 'Ogwarts. There's a bloke goin' there too. He'll know what to do."  
  
"All right."  
  
***  
  
Groggily Hermione woke up and caught a few dregs of a conversation between the driver and conductor. A pair of sharp black eyes from the back watched as she stirred and sat up. Pushing her damp hair out of her eyes, Hermione looked out of the window. Rows of black trees stood guard for rows of houses. Making sure she didn't move her hurt arm Hermione looked around her. The two beds behind her were being slept in and the bed in the back right was too dark to clearly see if it had an occupant or not. The strangeness of her predicament struck her. Her mother had just been murdered, she herself had been beaten, by her father no less, and yet she was sitting calmly in a purple triple decker bus wondering about who was sleeping in another bed.  
  
Hermione was amazed at the lack of emotion she was feeling. It was almost like she had gone through so much pain it had all just frozen. Ice had taken the place of her lifeblood. Coldly she watched as the spotty conductor sat on the bed next to her and asked where she was going.  
  
"Hogwarts." Turning back to the window Hermione listened with one ear as he congratulated the driver for some guess he had made about her.  
  
"When will we arrive there?" Her voice, oddly devoid of any emotion, a fact that did not pass the notice of the occupant of the back right bed, seemed to shut Stan up.  
  
"In a few minutes Miss. Can I get you anyfink?" Rather than answer, Hermione closed her eyes and let the mindless chatter of Ernie and Stan wash over her.  
  
***  
  
"Miss? We're here. Thank you for travellin' wiv the Knight Bus." The bus had stopped just millimetres from Hogwart's gates. Hermione picked up her bag and wordlessly stepped down from the bus. Another pair of feet lightly stepped down onto the dusty path, which led directly to Hogwart's main entrance. Not paying any attention to the footfalls behind her Hermione walked around the bus and opened the gates, just managing to squeeze through the gates Hermione shifted her bag to a more comfortable position, in doing so she jostled her arms. Eyes watering from the pain, Hermione stopped and breathed deeply, willing the pain to go away.  
  
"Miss Granger?" The questioning tone of Professor Severus Snape drifted to Hermione's ears.  
  
"Professor Snape." Answered Hermione curtly.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes." As though he sensed that something was amiss from her sharp answer Snape hurried. His much taller form quickly caught up with Hermione, who despite her long legs had quite a slow gait, and he then looked down.  
  
In the early morning light he looked almost human. His angular face held none of the contempt and disdain it usually held. Eyes normally hard and icy were filled with concern. Even with concealment charms, Hermione did not look at the peak of her health.  
  
All of a sudden Hermione felt a warm fluid run down her face. With her face creased from the pain of her arm and from her bag bouncing on bruises, the scab above her eye had crinkled and broke. Although the charm prevented Snape from seeing the actual cut, it didn't stop him from seeing the blood spurting from the gaping gash. Without thinking he put his hand out and carefully touched her brow.  
  
And quickly jerked it back to his robed side.  
  
His brow creased in confusion. He had felt multiple charms covering her face. As Hermione saw him get his wand out she knew instantly that he had felt the presence of the concealment charms.  
  
"No. Don't." However her whispered pleas were too late. Snape's softly whispered words had destroyed the charms.  
  
"What the hell has happened to you?" His black eyes were wide in shock.  
  
"It's none of your business!" Snapped Hermione. She dug in her pockets and found a tissue. Dabbing gently at the cut she hurried to the castle.  
  
"All right then. I'll put it differently. Who did this to you? I doubt you fell." Her steps faltered.  
  
"My dad." Without waiting to hear Snape's response to her short answer, Hermione regained her momentum and carried on to the castle  
  
After what seemed like an eternity but was more like ten minutes Hermione pushed open the doors. She knew that Snape was just a few paces behind her so Hermione left the doors wide open. The entrance hall was empty save for a few house elves dusting down several statues. Ignoring the curious stares of the elves Hermione rushed up the main stairway and up to the Gryffindor common room. Settling back against the headboard of her bed, Hermione opened the envelope she had found on her drawers.  
  
***  
  
'Dearest Hermione,  
  
If you're reading this letter I'm probably dead. If I'm still alive then you won't be reading this. I'll have destroyed it.  
  
I'm sorry if I've seemed distant lately but I've been so worried about everything. Especially about you.  
  
The reason I wanted you out of the house today was so that I could give your father the divorce papers. All I can say is that I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner. I'm also sorry that I haven't told you about Adam. I met him at the surgery a while ago and well things just went on from there. If George signs the papers both you and I can move in with Adam as soon as possible. Of course if you're reading this...  
  
I'm sorry I've failed you sweetheart, but don't you ever forget that I love you with all of my heart. I'm sorry I never stopped George, but I'm so scared. I'm sorry for a lot of other things but remember that no matter what happens I'll always love you. No matter what.  
  
Mum.'  
  
The ink was blurred in places from tears. Hermione's own tears joined those of her mothers.  
  
******  
  
Okay, the ending absolutely stinks and I apologise. I'm also sorry for, the totally tacky, corny, clichéd letter, though I did actually ask my mum what she'd say and most of this is actually her words. So now the not-mystery of why Mr. Granger called Mrs. Granger a slut is over. So review! I promise to take really good care of them! No reviews are ever used in scientific experiments. So donate one today!  
  
-x-Kylaia-x- 


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